From vegconomist.com
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Researchers at the University of Hohenheim and the Max Rubner Institute conducted a study on the suitability of AI chatbots ChatGPT and Gemini (previously Bard) to create meal plans that meet the daily intakes of macro- and micronutrients for different dietary patterns: omnivorous, vegetarian, and vegan.
Although the chatbots’ meal plans generally met most dietary reference intakes (DRI), the study found that vegan diet plans “concerningly” lacked advice on essential nutrients like vitamin B12, which is critical for nerve function, blood formation, and neurological processes. The authors explain that ChatGPT suggested using vitamin B12 supplements for vegan diets in five out of 18 instances. Meanwhile, Gemini never recommended them and erroneously included milk products in vegan plans.
“Most commercial AI systems […] lack the specific information needed to cater to vegan dietary needs”
Sam Tucker, the developer of VEG3, a vegan and animal advocacy chatbot, designed by vegans and for vegans fuelled by ChatGPT, told vegconomist: “Most commercial AI systems rely on large datasets of generic online content, which frequently lack the specific information needed to cater to vegan dietary needs.
“At VEG3, we address these limitations by grounding our AI responses in factual information from databases filled with reliable and vegan-specific sources. This ensures that our recommendations are accurate and tailored to the needs of the vegan community.”
Too much protein or too little carbs
Prof. Dr. Simon Hammann, Head of the Department of Food Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry at the University of Hohenheim, and colleagues from the Max Rubner Institute conducted the study.
They asked ChatGPT and Gemini to create 108 daily plans for a female person with different diets, predicting they would generate nutritionally adequate meal plans for omnivorous, vegetarian, and vegan diets. Afterward, they analysed 29 parameters, including protein, carbohydrate, fat content, and micronutrients, from the suggested plans and compared them with current dietary recommendations.
According to their findings, the AI-generated nutrition plans were generally healthier than what people consume on average daily. However, they often included too much protein or too little energy and carbohydrates, and most meal plans fell below the DRI for vitamin D and fluoride.
For example, many daily plans included recipes with specific gram measurements for meals and snacks, containing less energy and fewer carbohydrates than recommended. Due to small portions and low-calorie content, following these plans could lead to unintentional weight loss over time. Additionally, the AI chatbots appeared to follow the current trend towards high-protein diets, especially in plans that included meat. The meal plans mostly exceeded the DRI for protein across all dietary patterns.
Risks of relying on AI
The internet has long been a major source of dietary advice, and now, consumers can quickly customize meal plans based on preferences and dislikes using these new freely accessible chatbots. However, the researchers say that inaccuracies in chatbot-generated information could lead to nutritional deficiencies if trusted unquestioningly.
They point out previous studies in which ChatGPT’s nutrition advice aligned well with that of dieticians and provided helpful information on energy and macronutrients. In contrast, other studies found that the AI recommended inadequate meal plans for patients with noncommunicable diseases, unsafe diets that included allergens, and misrepresented portion sizes.
The researchers conclude that AI chatbots may be helpful for individuals seeking general dietary inspiration. Still, they can’t replace professional nutritional advice, especially for specialised and restricted diets with particular nutrient requirements.
AI as inspiration, not a replacement
“The suggestions of the AIs were usually healthier than what people in Germany eat on average every day. The plans are, therefore, quite suitable for daily meal inspiration.
However, Dr. Podszun told Florian Klebs from the University of Hohenhem that AI chatbots are not yet a substitute for professional nutritional advice. “Anyone who has a restrictive diet, for example, a vegan diet, or suffers from intolerances should not rely on the chatbots. Otherwise, there is a risk of nutritional deficiencies and other health consequences.”
Tucker added: “Meanwhile, our Open Paws project is taking this a step further by developing open-source AI models with a deep understanding of veganism. By integrating specialized knowledge directly into the AI’s training, we’re building systems that can inherently understand and address the unique aspects of vegan nutrition.”
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